Knee and joint pain have become very common these days among people of all ages. You may suddenly feel a jerk in the knee or a joint, or this pain may creep in silently, but, no matter how it comes, it is very difficult to bear. Most of the times the ointments and medications also are unable to soothe the pain, and that’s when you need the best home remedies for knee joint pain to get effective and long-term relief.
The home remedies for knee pain work effectively on the affected areas and help you get relief from the pain for a longer time. Gradually, these remedies work on the primary cause of the pain and help you in overcoming the problem.
The constant wear and tear of the knee joint are one of the prime reasons behind the knee pain. Due to the lack of calcium in women, they are more susceptible to the knee pain than men. The best home remedy knee pain can help women overcome this problem with ease.
On the other hand, the joint pain can be caused due to a number of problems like tendons around a joint, injury or sprain affecting the ligaments, strain or tendinitis, bursitis, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis.
Knee Pain Signs and Symptoms
In the chronic knee pain, you may not feel the pain in the entire knee, and the location of the pain may vary depending on which specific structure of the knee is affected. Due to inflammation or infection, the whole knee might become swollen and painful while a fracture or a torn meniscus of bone causes pain only at one specific location. You may even find it difficult to walk with knee pain. Though, walking is beneficial for health, but, with knee problems, one must try to avoid it.
The severity of the pain may also vary depending on the factor causing it, from a minor ache to a highly severe disabling pain.
Some of the symptoms which accompany the knee pain include:
- Limping due to discomfort
- Difficulty in walking due to the instability of the knee
- Difficulty in walking upstairs or downstairs due to ligament damage
- Swelling or redness
- Inability to extend the knee
- Inability to bend the knee due to its locking
Knee and Joint Pain Home Remedies
1. Cold Compress
Applying a cold compress on the painful knee or joint within 24 hours of starting of pain is one of the best and easiest ways to reduce swelling and pain.
The cold compress helps in constricting the blood vessels while reducing the flow of blood to the affected area. This significantly helps in reducing the swelling. It also gives you relief from the pain.
For the chronic pain, you can opt for an alternate treatment of cold and hot compress.
What To Do?
Take a cold compress gel or a few of ice cubes in a thin towel. You can also take a bag of frozen peas, inside a thin towel instead of ice for the cold compress.
Apply this cold compress pack on the affected area for 10 – 20 minutes. Repeat it two-three times a day.
2. Fenugreek Seeds
Fenugreek seeds are among the most popular home remedies for joint and knee pain. Rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, the fenugreek seeds are especially beneficial for the ones who are suffering from arthritis.
What To Do?
Take one teaspoon of finely ground fenugreek seeds, and swallow them with a glass of lukewarm water. Do this every morning empty stomach until the time your pain subsides.
Or, you can soak 1 teaspoon of the fenugreek seeds in a glass of water for about 8 – 10 hours, or preferably at night, and have that water in the morning. You can also eat the soaked seeds for better results.
3. Lemon
The knee pain caused by arthritis can effectively be cured with the help of lemon. Lemon is rich in citric acid, and thus, it works as an excellent solvent for the uric acid present in the body.
Uric acid is sometimes the primary cause of arthritis, and thus, lemon works wonder in this type of pain.
What To Do?
Cut two lemons into smaller pieces, and put them in a small and clean cotton cloth. Dip this cotton cloth in the warm sesame oil and them, place this cloth on the aching knee for 5 – 10 minutes. Repeat it twice daily till the time you get relief from pain.
Apart from this, you can also consume lemon juice with one glass of lukewarm water (add honey if you want) daily on an empty stomach. It will keep your uric acid in control, and your knee will not ache because of the uric acid induced arthritis.
4. Turmeric
Turmeric is one of the most effective and popular Ayurvedic remedies for joint and knee pain. Turmeric is rich in the “Curcumin” which possesses anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
As per a study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine in 2009, the curcumin found in turmeric was found to be as effective as the painkiller and anti-inflammation medicine “ibuprofen” for pain relief in the people suffering from knee osteoarthritis.
What To Do?
Mix one teaspoon of turmeric (preferably organic) with a little honey and a glass of warm milk. Have it before the bedtime every day till you feel the relief in the pain.
Before taking turmeric for knee or joint pain, consult your doctor as turmeric may interfere with some medications like blood thinners, and it may worsen some health conditions such as gallbladder problems.
5. Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus oil possesses the analgesic (pain relieving)properties which can help an individual to get rid of the joint pain or knee pain. Also, the cooling sensation of the eucalyptus oil can ease the knee pain.
Some experts even suggest that inhaling the eucalyptus essential oil can also help in reducing the inflammation and pain after the knee replacement surgery.
What To Do?
Blend 5 – 7 drops of eucalyptus and peppermint oil each, and mix them with two tablespoons of olive oil. Store this oil blend in a glass bottle in the dark area, away from the direct sunlight.
Whenever your knees or joints ache, rub this blend on them. Massage gently to ensure that the oil penetrates within the skin.
6. Epsom Salt
Epsom salt is rich in magnesium sulfate, which is known to provide relief from knee and joint pain.
Magnesium acts as a natural muscle relaxant and helps in removing the excessive fluids from the tissues. It reduces pain, inflammation, and swelling.
What To Do?
Add a half cup of Epsom salt to your bathtub, and stir it well till the time the entire set gets dissolved. Soak the affected area in this warm solution of water and salt for about 15 – 20 minutes. Repeat it two-three times a week.
This remedy must not be tried by the people suffering from high blood pressure, heart problems or diabetes.
7. Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper is rich in “capsaicin” which works as a pain reliever. Capsaicin is a natural analgesic and possesses the pain relieving properties which produce a warm sensation while reducing the pain in the affected knee or joint area.
What To Do?
Take half cup of warm olive oil and add 2 tablespoons of cayenne pepper powder in it. Apply this blend on the affected area twice a day for one week to get relief from pain.
Mix one cup of apple cider vinegar with half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder. Soak a clean cotton cloth or a washcloth in this blend, and apply it on the aching knee or joint. Do it twice daily until the inflammation and the pain is reduced.
8. Mustard Oil
As per Ayurveda, a gentle massage of the painful knee or painful joint with the lukewarm mustard oil improves the blood circulation of the region and eases inflammation while relieving the pain.
Mustard oil is known for its pain relief and anti-inflammatory properties, and it easily penetrates inside the skin.
What To Do?
Heat 2 tablespoons of the mustard oil. Chop one garlic clove and fry it in the oil till the time it turns brown. Strain and cool the oil, and massage the aching knee or joint with this lukewarm oil in the circular motions.
Cover the massaged area with the warm towels to apply heat in the massage area for a few minutes. It will help the oil to penetrate easily. Do it twice daily.
9. Ginger
Ginger is one of the most effective home remedies for alleviating the knee pain. The anti-inflammatory compounds present in Ginger not only reduce the swelling in the affected area but also provide effective pain relief.
Ginger is also one of the best home remedies for back pain.
What To Do?
Take a small piece of ginger root, crush it, and add it to one cup of boiling water. Let it simmer for 3 – 4 minutes, then strain it and add a little lemon juice to it. Add some honey too. Drink it twice or thrice a day till the pain is gone completely.
Ginger oil is also very effective in knee pain. You can massage the aching knee with the ginger oil two – three times a day till the time you get satisfactory results.
10. Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar is one of the best alkaline substances you can ever consume. Owing to its alkaline nature, it’s able to dissolve the harmful toxins and mineral build-up present within the knee joint. Hence, it effectively reduced the knee pain.
It also helps in restoring the joint lubricants and thus, is capable of reducing the joint pain and enhance joint mobility.
What To Do?
Add two cups of filtered water with two teaspoons of Apple Cider Vinegar, and keep on sipping this mixture throughout the day. Drink it daily till you get relief from the pain.
You can also give your affected area a relaxing bath with Apple Cider Vinegar, by mixing two cups of it, to your bathtub filled with hot water. Soak your affected joint or knee in the water for about half an hour. Do it once continuously for a few days till you start feeling relief in the pain.
Mix one tablespoon of olive oil with one tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar. Massage the aching knee or joint with this blend on or two times a day.
11. Garlic
As Garlic is a rich source of selenium and sulfur, is highly beneficial for the ones suffering from joint pain and arthritis.
Sulfur is exceptionally good in relieving the joint pain and arthritis. The arthritis patients struggle with low levels of selenium in their blood, and garlic can fulfill this deficiency. Also, researchers support the fact that selenium can have an antirheumatic effect on the body.
What To Do?
Include garlic in your daily recipes. You can also consume it raw, but don’t exceed your raw garlic intake from 2 – 3 cloves day.
Or, you can fry two garlic cloves in two tablespoons of sesame or mustard oil. As soon as the garlic cloves turn black, put off the heat and strain the oil. Let the oil cool down, but, don’t let it become completely cold. Let it stay warm and massage it around your affected area. Leave this oil for about 2.5 – 3 hours on the skin before washing it off. Repeat it twice every day.
12. Stinging Nettle
The herb named stinging nettle can provide effective pain relief against the joint pain without any side effects.
This herb is rich in active compounds which reduce inflammation, and as it is enriched with boron, it supports healthy joints and bones.
What To Do?
Put two-three teaspoons of dried nettle in a cup of hot water, and let it steep for about 15 – 20 minutes. Strain the leaves drink this tea. Have it two-three times a day for effective relief from joint pain.
Or, place the fresh nettle leaves on the affected area for about 30 seconds to reduce inflammation.
Before taking turmeric for knee or joint pain, consult your doctor as it may interfere with some medications like blood thinners.
What To Consider?
The pain relief for knees at home can be achieved with the above-given home remedies. However, it’s vital that before you try any knee pain home remedy, ensure that you are not allergic to any of the ingredients. Also, don’t consume any ingredients in a ratio or quantity more than specified to avoid any health issues.
But, severe knee pain and joint pain, especially the ones caused by the degenerative conditions such as arthritis, require proper medical diagnosis and treatment.
You must also consult your doctor if your knee or joint pain lasts for more than three consecutive days, or is accompanied by tenderness, redness or swelling. Also, check out about the low-impact exercises which can be done to ease the pain.
